


Stinging Soul Marks

by Okami01



Series: Claurenz Week2020 [5]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Claurenz Week (Fire Emblem), Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, M/M, Pre-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-27
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:28:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22430320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okami01/pseuds/Okami01
Summary: Claude and Lorenz are soul mates. Lorenz doesn't know and Claude isn't sure he wants him to. Soul mate au prompt
Relationships: Lorenz Hellman Gloucester/Claude von Riegan
Series: Claurenz Week2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1608136
Comments: 4
Kudos: 88
Collections: Claurenz Week: Winter 2020





	Stinging Soul Marks

Claude thought that the gods or goddesses, saints, or whoever was up in the sky must have a strange sense of humor.   
Your soulmate was supposed to be someone that you love, irritatingly enough, maybe the gods or goddesses or whoever decided that were wrong about Claude's. The purple rose tattooed high on his right leg seemed to disagree. Where no one could see it normally, thankfully. Still, every time he undressed or went to the hot springs, he knew it was there. 

He knew it was there because whenever he was around Lorenz, the mark tingled. Sometimes a soft unobtrusive sensation. At other times a hard to ignore feeling that bothered Claude in the worst of times. Much like Lorenz himself. 

It'd only been a few years ago that the mark appeared. Some people went their whole lives without knowing who the mark they had belonged to, let alone getting this close to them. Some people's marks never appeared at all. Having a soul mate was interesting in theory.

It was also terrifying in a way. He tried not to think of the fact that there was someone else with a mark on their skin that represented Claude's emotions. He'd read books about it whenever he could, even though he didn't want to obsess about it.  
Especially because, while Claude knew exactly who his soul mate was now, Lorenz didn't seem to have any idea. 

It was better that way, Claude decided on his own, that he never found out. 

Claude quickly learned how to deal with Lorenz, just like he learned to deal with everyone and everything else. 

Life at Garreg Mach was fun at least. While they had their arguments and disagreements. Lorenz finding fault in almost everything Claude did. Claude retaliating in his own way. It wasn't terrible.   
Maybe it was his soul mark making him want to get closer to Lorenz. Through the months they'd spent in, he'd grown to like him. At the very least, they didn't hate each other. The mark on Claude's leg didn't sting as much

He had to wonder if Lorenz felt the pain too. The different sensations that Claude himself felt when they were together. The pain he felt when they were apart. Surely it couldn't be because Lorenz missed him. It made Claude worry a bit. Maybe Lorenz was sad. Bothered by things he didn't want to talk about. But he had the professor to talk to, the other teachers, Ferdinand was there. He was fine. 

Maybe Claude was thinking about it too much. 

Eventually, curiosity got the better of him. He wondered if he was only trying to get closer to Lorenz because it stopped the ache. Made a weird fluttery feeling bubble up instead.

He and Lorenz continued to argue at times. The sharp pain in his side disappeared, replaced by a dull electric heat. With all the drama in the alliance, Claude felt that spark quite a bit. The mark was warm when he'd managed to make Lorenz laugh or blush. It vibrated whenever he spiked Lorenz's tea. A warm flushed feeling whenever he saw Lorenz drinking tea or tending to his flowers. Getting a good score on a test. 

A sharp and different type of pain cropped up whenever Lorenz spoke about his father. Or the pride of nobles and things like that. Pain that circled up around Claude's chest and into his own heart.  
The presumed loneliness he felt after failing in his marriage conquests. And every time they fought bandits and thieves, every time Lorenz was struck or used his magic or anything Claude could feel it.   
It was tiring and it also felt like cheating. To know someone's inner thoughts so well. Then there was the scary and obvious conclusion. Lorenz knew how he felt too.   
So Claude watched him even more closely. As closely as he could without looking suspicious. The more that he did, the more his own mark seemed to tingle. 

Lorenz held his right wrist a lot. Sometimes wincing, sometimes rubbing it and sighing That's were his mark had to be.  
_____  
The days continued to go by. When Claude heard other people talking about him, he ignored them. More often then not, it didn't really matter.

He felt the pain of his mark as he rounded the corner.  
Lorenz's voice was sharp and low. " It is not becoming of you to gossip about your house leader in such a manner. And your blatant rudeness isn't becoming of students of the officers' academy. Would you like me to report to you the professor? "

The girl's huff, there's the scuttling of feet and swish of fabric. " Whatever. We're leaving anyway."  
The girls leave. Before Claude can too Lorenz rounds the corner and they're face to face. He holds his wrist and frowns at Claude. 

Claude smiles and winks. " Well, thanks, Lorenz. Who would have thought that you'd be my knight in shining armor."

Lorenz scoffs. " Hardly." He moves closer to Claude, staring him in the eyes. His mark hurts again, but it's a different type of pain yet again. 

" It's just that well… I used to think all sorts of… unbecoming things about you"

Claude tries to look surprised. " Really now?"

" Yes, really." Lorenz sighs. "And... I'd like to apologize for it."

" Your apologizing? I should try to cast a recording sigel then."

" Claude," Lorenz says softly. " I know you joke about these things… but I can tell it bothers you."

" And what gives you that id-"

Lorenz pushes up his sleeve. There's a small yellow wyvern on his wrist, holding an arrow in its mouth. 

Claude knew it. He's glad. It's a more of a relief then he'd thought it would be to know. To be right about so many things. But his heart is racing and his throat feels dry. He shouldn't be so anxious about a victory. 

Lorenz pushes his sleeve back.

" The goddess must have a terrible sense of humor then," Claude offers.

" When you smile like that… when it doesn't reach your eyes… when you're actually sad .. I can tell."

Someone starts to come down the hallway. 

Lorenz jumps back, blushing. Claude's mark isn't going to know peace today, it seems. 

" We should… we should talk about this matter further," the purple-haired boy chokes out.   
" Would you like tea?" 

Then Claude's dragging him to his bedroom, fast as he can. He needs to get to the bottom of this. Why hadn't he asked Lorenz about this sooner? His heart won't stop racing. He can barely breathe. He really needs to get a hold of himself and he isn't even sure if it's because of the soul mark or because he genuinely likes Lorenz. Maybe both? But he wants to touch him because when he does, it makes all the pain go away.

Claude slams the door behind him. 

" W-why are we in your room?" Lorenz whispers frantically. 

" Do you want us to be overheard by everyone? I'm sure you don't want anyone to know that I'm your- That we're-" 

The tightness in his thigh will not stop, and Claude doesn't miss the hurt jolt he feels.   
" That we're soulmates," finally says, dusting off his tea set.

Lorenz blushes and then rubs his face. " You aren't… going to poison me again are you?"

" Yes, Lorenz, now's my chance to see if killing my," his thigh throbs as he says the word, " soulmate." He likes the way Lorenz reacts to it. Claude smiles. " Would you like to be buried by the greenhouse or the fishing pond?"

Lorenz huffs but he must not actually be mad because Claude doesn't feel any pain from it.   
" Why must I be destined to deal with your nonsensical antics, Claude?"

" You don't… have to put up with anything. We don't have to be anything to each other if you don't want us to be." Claude is careful to keep the weariness out of his voice, to keep his tone light. Then he realizes that it can't possibly work. Lorenz is his soul mate and just as Claude can feel his unease, Lorenz can, unfortunately, feel his.  
He turns and produces two teacups, past the many books and other things in his room. Lorenz flicks his hand over the kettle and it heats up.

He holds his wrist and sighs. " You…" He looks like he's going to say something. Then he crosses his arms and sighs. "That hurts really… in every sense of the word. But… I… I don't hate you, Claude. In fact… perhaps... I've grown rather fond of you."

Claude can tell Lorenz isn't lying, though why would he lie in the first place?

" I knew it was you… even though the mark makes it so obvious. I guess they want everyone to know who you're supposed to belong too. I knew it was you because I can feel something in my wrist in the middle of the night sometimes. What are you doing, making posions? Scheming?"  
He looks at Claude warningly but it seems like a rhetorical question if anything else.

"And when Seteth said someone was sneaking in the library at night. Or when you passed your exam to be a wyvern rider. I should have known sooner. I figured that there was no way it would be you… or that if it was they'd be a vial of poison or a stack of books being read at an ungodly hour."

Lorenz stops, his eyes narrow. " Are you even listening."

Claude nods, slowly  
" You're fond of me?" He asks stupidly before he can stop himself. Lorenz blushes and nods. Claude's mark tingles tightly. 

Lorenz squeezes his wrist. " Have you never been to a service before? You're supposed to spend your life with your soulmate. That's how it's supposed to work. It's supposed to be someone that likes you back."

Lorenz's expression changes and the pain comes back, briefly. Before the squeezing returns.

"And as annoying as you are, at least you're pleasing to look at…. You're not a total fool… and perhaps… perhaps we do get along alright enough."  
Claude's thigh tightness. He presses his hand to his leg. 

" I suppose that's high praise coming from you, Lorenz. Claude smiles. " There are certainly worse people to be stuck being soulmate pals than you." He doesn't trust himself to say anything else. The strange, half coherent thoughts in his head all tell him to compliment Lorenz and start kissing him. No logic left, only bad ideas. 

Lorenz blushes and looks off to the side again. His face isn't helping matters and it isn't going to help anything it Claude keeps staring into his bewildered purple eyes. 

He grips on tighter to his wrist. Tugs at it self consciously   
" D-did you do that on purpose?"

" What?"

"Ugh. This feeling. I'd chop my arm off and be done with it if… if I could. "

" Do you think the mark would grow back if you did?".  
Claude reaches forward, gently tugs on Lorenz's sleeve. " How does it feel now?"

Lorenz's seem to flush even more somehow. So do Claude's but maybe Lorenz won't notice.

" F-fine. Normal."

Claude laughs. It's not even funny but his soul mark is heating up, sending warm tingles through his body that he can't help it.  
" Hmm, and did you really call me nice to look at? Could I get that in writing too?" He teases and the feeling only grows. He's starting to find himself addicted to it.

Lorenz doesn't pull away. " I want… I want to see yours."

Claude's breath hitches. Why hadn't he considered that this might happen before?

Lorenz's gaze hovers over Claude's body. They're both really blushing now.

Claude can barely choke out. " Probably a bad idea."

He thinks, briefly, that it would be even worse to draw attention as to why. 

"Oh," He watches briefly at Lorenz's attempt not to look disappointed. 

" But this is apparently the day to make crazy choices so let's go for it."

Claude pulls his jacket over his trousers as much as he can, tugs off his boot and rolls up his pants. Lorenz had to move slightly away for this and as Claude rolls up his pants he realizes how close Lorenz is and his brain nearly short circuits. 

Lorenz's eyes widen as he stares at Claude's mark.  
" Um… I…" he stammers. The mark grows warmer still and the heat travels up Claude's body.   
" May I… may I touch it?"

" Sure, go ahead," Claude tries to say as impartiality as he can. " Lorenz smooths long, slender fingers over the mark gently.

" Does it hurt?" He asks, tracing the outline of the rose.

" Nope feels very normal. "

Lorenz glowers. "Somehow I feel that you are teasing me once again. Ah," he pulls his hand back. " I'm sorry," His eyes widen and he looks away. " This isn't right," he stammers. 

" Huh, what?"

" Well, I shouldn't be touching you…" Claude only realizes that he's leaning forward a bit, into Lorenz's touch. Lorenz continues to hover over him. Blushing in the low light. He's said they shouldn't be doing this but neither of them look like they want it to stop. Tea and everything else forgotten at the moment. 

" We can't just do that all of a sudden… There are steps to these things. We're about to dive down the whole flight of steps."

Claude leans forward slightly. At this angle, he can pat the top of Lorenz's hair. Run his hands through the smooth purple locks. He can feel Lorenz's nervousness in his mark yet again.

" I'm sure that the council of noble relations will find it in their hearts to forgive us." 

" I'm serious, Claude." Lorenz looks up, his hand back on Claude's thigh. Claude moves forward slightly before asking.

Claude thinks to himself that he doesn't want Lorenz to leave. He likes this feeling more then he's willing to admit to Lorenz. So he settles for saying

" So am I. What were you planning on doing?"

" Claude…"

" Hmm?"

" Let's just… let's just try to get along better, o-ok?" Lorenz looks him in the eye sheepishly. 

Claude smiles " I can manage that."

Lorenz smiles back.  
'When did you... realize it? That we're soul mates?"

" Like five months ago."

" Goddess... why didn't you say anything sooner?"

Claude shrugs. Lorenz grabs his wrist and sighs. He nearly falls forward. Claude puts one of his hands on Lorenz's shoulders to steady him. He lets out a wobbly laugh. 

Lorenz speaks again, quiet even though their's no one around.   
" You're really not doing that on purpose? It feels so… strange."

" No." His leg hurts too as it to punctuate the fact that it hurts when they both hurt each other.

" I thought you hated me… Or at least that you'd rather have a different soul mate than me."

" I'm sorry." He settles for saying. 

"I'm not actually tired of hearing you apologize, but what is it now?"

" I don't hate you, Lorenz." 

" I don't hate you either."

Lorenz laughs  
" Well, at least we have that."

Claude squeezes his hand. It felt good touching him like that. " Soul mates… don't mean exactly the same thing where I'm from… so we don't need to rush into anything.

" I do not rush into things unprepared."  
Lorenz squeezes Claude back. " Just… try not hurt me again ok? Try not to be hurt. I can barely focus on what I need to do when I know you're out there in pain."

" Alright, then you have to promise the same. I don't like feeling your hurt either," Claude admits.

" If you need something… if you're hurt or sad, then I suppose you can come to me."

" Why, because it's your duty as a noble?"

" No, you fool. Because before anything else… you're my friend, Claude."  
Lorenz lets go and slowly moves back. He grabs his teacup and hastily takes a sip.

"I guess you're mine too then, Lorenz."  
Claude chuckles at the tightness he feels in his mark yet again. Maybe the whole soul mate mark thing isn't so bad.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Claurenz Week! Thanks for reading (: Soul mate aus are my jam so here we are.


End file.
